MEEN KUZHAMBU(FISH CURRY)

When it comes to non veg recipes,I will say my moms recipes are the best . Especially meen kuzhambu,it tastes so delicious when tried on her hands(kai pakuvam)...:)she dose it so perfectly with correct spicyness sour and salt without tasting it. 

Chidambaram is my home town, during margazhi matham in thillai kali amman temple they have, hand made clay pot (mun chatti)sale,my mom buys those clay pots specially for making meen kuzhambu , when I came here to Singapore after marriage I tried fish curry with non stick Kadai.. The taste was ok.. But taste differs to clay pot and non stick... And after that. I also started cooking fish curry in clay pots...clay pots take time to heat... But once heat is absorbed it cooks faster..will soon update step wise pictures for this post..

Ingredients:

Thread-fin fish- 3 pieces

Tomato - 1/2(big sized) 

Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp

Sambar powder - 1&1/2 tbs

Aachi kuzhambu chilly powder - 1/2 tbs

Tamarind - medium sized ball 

To Grind :

Shallots(small onion) - 8-10

Garlic - 6

Curry leaves - 1 stick

To Temper(1):

Gingelly oil - 1 tbs

Vadagam - 1/2 tps

Vendhayam - 1/4 tsp

Green chilly - 2(slit)

To Temper(2):

Gingelly oil - 1/2 tbs

Curry leaves - few 

Method:

First coarsely grind shallots, garlic and curry leaves.Clean the fish with some salt and turmeric and set aside.And soak tamarind with 1&1/3 cup of water

Take a broad clay pot add gingellly oil,and add the ingredients under temper(1) and add the coarsely ground paste, saute them till the onions become transparent and leaves oil.

Then add tomato saute and saute till it gets mashed,then add turmeric,sambar and Aachi powder and saute well with little water.

Add the tamarind 1 cup of water to the mixture and add 1/2 cup of plain water if you need.check for salt,tangyness and spicy at this stage.allow it boil well till the kuzhambu becomes light thick.

when you feel the kuzhambu has become thick add cleaned fish and boil for 5 mins,till the fish cooks well and the flesh turns white.

And finally heat Gingelly oil crackle some curry leaves and pour into the kuzhambu and simmer for 3 mins.Gingelly oil gives nice flavor to the fish curry.

  
And serve with hot rice and enjoy!

 Notes:

Don't grind the shallots to fine,or else the taste will differ.The ground shallots will give thickness to kuzhambu.

If you don't have aachi kuzhambu powder you can replace with sambar powder itself.

And if you don't like the taste of Gingelly oil,you can replace with cooking oil. 

If you feel you want some more spiciness,you can add 1/3 tsp pepper powder.